Friday, 29 May 2015

A leading hair stylist's marriage
fell apart after a rowdy night at a local pub during which he plunged
a knife into the table his wife was sitting at in front of around
forty shocked guests.Mark Richard Westbrook, 50, of
Breamwater Gardens, Richmond, who is the boss of the salon that bears
his name in nearby Kew Village, was rowing with 36 year-old
Czech-born Nikolka Westbrook, the mother of his three children.He pleaded guilty at Wimbledon
Magistrates Court to using threatening behaviour at the Anglers
Public House, Broom Road, Teddington on November 9 , last year and
yesterday was conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to
pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.“We accept you have been under
considerable stress due to the breakdown of your marriage, illness
and your financial situation,” the magistrate told Westbrook. “You
are impulsive and need to control that.”The court did not make a
restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his estranged wife
because a non-molestation order made by the Family Court already
exists.Westbrook was found not guilty of
two alleged assaults and another threatening behaviour count at the
family home later that night after a highly-charged trial in which
his supporters packed the courtroom.Nikolka claimed she feared her
husband's temper, but Westbrook claimed her complaints were motivated
by a desire to continue enjoying the lifestyle he financed during
their twelve-year marriage.She continues to reside at the
£700,000 family home and Westbrook has been forced to move to an
address fifty miles away in Chichester Place, Brighton, East Sussex.The prosecutor told the court: “He
felt his wife belittled him in front of a male outside the pub and
slammed a cutlery knife into the table.“She is shocked and there are
forty guests present and Mr. Westbrook then storms out of the pub.”Nikolka claimed violence continued
at the family home, but Westbrook was cleared of those charges.It was put to her that she enjoyed
a “nice lifestyle” which included good clothes and meals, but
Nikolka told the court: “I would say he enjoyed more of a social
life than a family life.“He was very abusive and
aggressive towards me, using foul language in front of the children.”She denied telling friends
Westbrook was “getting old and fat” and had a “pot belly” and
asking what the money was like for a single-mum.Explaining the knife incident she
said: “It was frightening. It made me scared.”

Thursday, 28 May 2015

A Falklands War veteran, who
travelled to London for a rugby-themed reunion, groped a woman who
was dancing in front of him three times and flew into a rage when
confronted.Paul White, 55, of Cornwall House,
Borough Road, Combe Martin, Ilfracombe, Devon will return to
wimbledon Magistrates Court on June 17 for a pre-sentence report.He pleaded guilty today to sexually assaulting a female at The Railway Tavern, The Quadrant,
Richmond-upon-Thames on May 9 and using threatening, abusive,
insulting words or behaviour on the same occasion.The court heard the victim was
enjoying a celebratory evening at the pub with friends and was on the
dancefloor with White, who did not know her, standing behind.He groped her rear with his hand
on three separate occasions and she turned and told him: “Twice may
be an accident, but three times is deliberate.”She alerted security and White
turned aggressive when challenged about his behaviour and a minor
scuffle broke out.The court was told White was in
London to watch rugby and celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of
Goose Green, which took place in May, 1982, mainly involving 2 Para
of the Parachute Regiment.

Tuesday, 26 May 2015

A transexual police worker, who battered her sleeping brother over the head with an iron bar during a late-night murder bid, claims she was sleeping-walking and did not know what she was doing, a court heard today.

Helen Doe, 53, of Montgomery Close, Mitcham, however later told police she woke up in the early hours of the home they shared with an "overwhelming hatred" for 64 year-old Kenneth Doe.

He received three wounds to his skull from the one and a half foot long metal bar as he lay in bed, plus received a broken finger as he tried to defend himself.

Doe, who is employed by the Metropolitan Police Uniform Services and is a vocal transphobia campaigner has pleaded not guilty at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to the attempted murder of Kenneth on July 5, last year.

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Cavin told the jury: "Fortunately he did not die or suffer long-term injury at all, brain injury, however it is the prosecution case that in striking him several times with an iron bar she intended to kill him.

"It may be that she is not strong enough, maybe he blocked or parried the blows, he sustained a fractured finger.

"The prosecution say the evidence shows she intended that death would result, that she wished to kill him."

Miss Doe dialled 999 and told the operator at around 2.50am: "I've had an accident. I think I've killed my brother. I've hit him with an iron bar. Just now, I've been building up to it."

When officers entered the house the defendant was in the kitchen and told them: "It's me. I did it, he's upstairs."

Mr. Cavin added: "On the kitchen table was a metal pole about a foot and a half long with blood on it."

Police went upstairs to check on the brother. "His head and hair was covered in blood."

Mr. Doe told them: "I had an argument with her earlier and I woke up and she was hitting me with an iron bar……..I don't like her friends."

He was rushed to St. George's Hospital to be treated for the three wounds, plus a fractured middle finger on his left hand.

"Amazingly, fortunately, the wounds were stapled."

When Miss Doe was arrested she asked the WPC: "Can I have a cuddle?"

Mr Cavin told the jury Doe spoke freely in the van on the way to Sutton Police Station, confessing: "I wanted to do it. I wanted to kill him."

"She said her friendship with her brother was not a good one and woke in the early hours with an overwhelming hatred of her brother and she makes reference to muffled voices in her head.

"She describes a history of depression for which she was taking prescribed medication. She also said she was in the process of changing gender to that of a female and was having hormone therapy."

Doe's case is that she was suffering 'non-insane automatism' - involuntary movements she was not responsible for.

"The defence will point to the conclusion Miss Doe was sleepwalking when she attacked her brother and that sleepwalking and violence was due to the drugs she was taking."

Doe has organised lectures for Croydon LGBT and has led the Croydon Trans Group and has been living as a woman since 2012.

Monday, 25 May 2015

Police
are hunting two murder suspects after a young man riding a bike
through a south London housing estate was shot and stabbed.

Ola
Raji, 20, was killed at approximately 10.30pm on April 21 in East
Surrey Grove, Peckham.

After
responding to a shots fired emergency officers found Ola collapsed
unconscious between two parked cars.

He
was pronounced dead shortly after arriving in hospital and a post
mortem confirmed the cause of death as a single gunshot wound to the
chest.

Detectives
believe Ola made his way onto the estate riding a push-bike where he
was confronted by two people who shot and stabbed him.

Immediately
following the murder, the suspects left the scene on foot in the
direction of Sumner Road via a cut through from Cator Road.

Police
are particularly keen to speak with the driver of a car that drove
down Rosemary Road at around 10.30pm as he/she may have seen the
suspects running up the road in the opposite direction.

Detective
Chief Inspector Will Reynolds of the Homicide and Major Crime Command
said:"We
believe that there were witnesses to this incident and I would like
to encourage anyone who has information that could assist our
investigation to come forward.

“We
believe that after being shot Ola may have had some property stolen
from him.

“It
is likely that he was wearing a small pouch or bag under his body
warmer. This has not yet been found."

“I
would like to urge local people and anyone visiting the estate at the
time of the murder to think about where they were and what they saw.

“It
is essential that we piece together his movements that evening and
understand why he was in East Surrey Grove at that time.

“Did
you know Ola? Were you with him that evening? Do you know why he was
there?

“All
information provided to Detectives will be treated in strictest
confidence but if you don’t want to speak directly to police please
call Crimestoppers.

“Calls
to Crimestoppers are anonymous and callers are not even asked for
their name.”

Anyone
with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4205
or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“It
must have been an awful encounter for the victim, both physically and
emotionally and she has my heartfelt sympathy for what she went
through.

“We
sent an officer to the scene and they completed an investigation.

"There
was a delay in following this investigation up but I am confident we
are now taking appropriate steps to identify the person responsible.

“The
vast majority of cyclists are decent honest hardworking people, but
in this case I think the person responsible for knocking the victim
over needs to explain their actions to us.

“I'd
encourage them to get in touch at the earliest opportunity."Anyone
who has any information should contact Southwark police on 0207 232
6220 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting CRIS
3010559/15.

Friday, 22 May 2015

A Middlesbrough FC fan, who made
the long trip south for his team's away fixture with Fulham FC, was
caught by a police sniffer dog with cannabis in his pocket as he
tried to enter the stadium.Mark William Benson, 30, of Coppice Road, Middlesbrough pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates
Court to possessing a small amount of the drug at Craven Cottage on
April 25.To add insult to injury
Middlesbrough lost the game 4 – 3.Prosecutor Mr. Tom Gill told the
court: “It was 2.40pm and a drug dog was present as away fans
entered the turnstile before the match.“The dog made an indication
towards Mr. Benson and he had a snap bag of herbal cannabis, which he
said he had paid ten pounds for and was for his personal use.”Benson told the court he was a
zero hours worker and had nothing to say about the offence.He was fined £73, with £20 costs
and was ordered to pay a £180 court charge and £20 victim
surcharge.

Thursday, 21 May 2015

A female prison officer, who had an affair with a murderer nearly twenty years her junior - exchanging love letters and flirtatious texts, calling him: 'Baby Cake' - was jailed for fifteen months today.

Anita Whittaker, 52, of Oak Way, Acton had served eleven years with HM Prison Service when she began the relationship with 35 year-old Kazadi Kongolo, who stabbed a fellow-teen to death as a youngster.

The Zaire-born Wormwood Scrubs prisoner was 17 years-old when he murdered a 19 year-old male at a railway station on September 9, 1998, stabbing him four times - including a fatal wound to the heart.

At the Old Bailey on March 25, 1999 he was detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure and told he would serve a minimum of twelve years custody.

Whittaker pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in public office, namely engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a serving prisoner and failing to report a serving prisoner had possession and use of a mobile phone on dates between April 1 and October 6, last year.

"She's lost her job, her reputation and she is embarrassed," Diane Buck, defending, told Isleworth Crown Court. "She had two daughters who are a year of two younger than Mr. Kongolo."

The court heard Whittaker took advantage of her position in the prison workshop to enjoy physical contact with Kongolo, progressing from kissing and cuddling to oral sex.

Wormwood Scrubs

"The offence came to light during a random cell search on the segregation unit and discovery of a mobile phone Mr. Kongolo had hidden in his anus," explained prosecutor Mr. Rav Johal. "The defendant's number was on that phone."

Whittaker then began a cover-up of the affair by trying to remove love-letters she had given Kongolo.

"She was caught assisting his move on the wing, escorting him when she had no business being on the wing and was there to remove the letters from him.

"Her home was searched on the day of her arrest and letters were found from Mr. Kongolo and in her bedroom was found a phone, which she used to keep in contact with the prisoner.

"She admitted developing a friendship and then a relationship after four months that became intimate and sexual.

"She said she was vulnerable after an abusive relationship with another prison officer who worked at another location.

"The relationship with Mr. Kongolo consisted of touching, then kissing, him putting his hand under her knickers and she performed oral sex on him."

Kongolo, who was prohibited from having a phone, sent texts such as: 'Good morning my beautiful'. 'Hey, I love you' and 'Sexy Queen.'

She replied, often referring to the prisoner as: 'Baby Cake.'

Whittaker denies oral sex occurred and Miss Buck added: "There was no full sexual intercourse, this was a loose sexual relationship with cuddling and touching.

"Encounters occurred in the workshop and a lot of his letters included fantasy, but she accepted them from him and she shouldn't have."

The Recorder of Kensington and Chelsea, Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson, rejected this and said the communication between them revealed oral sex did take place.

"Because of where you worked a prison sentence will be much more difficult for you," he told Whittaker.

"Prison security was well drilled into you when you trained, it's very important and can be compromised when you have a sexual relationship with a life prisoner.

"It undermines discipline and boundaries and opens up the officer to the potential of blackmail.

"He had an illicit mobile phone and you were well aware he had it and made contact with it on sixty-four occasions and you had contact with his brother and the partner of his cellmate.

"You were under a duty to report that phone, but you could not because that would lead to the discovery of your illicit relationship."

Tuesday, 19 May 2015

The son of former sprint star Linford Christie received a suspended prison sentence today for having 'crack' cocaine and heroin stashed under the floorboards of his council flat.

Police armed with a search warrant entered the property while 29 year-old Liam Linford Oliver-Christie was out and found the drugs - with a street value of £1,410 - in a box.

Oliver-Christie, of Lakeside Road, West Kensington pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court to possessing a quantity of cocaine and diamorphine on September 30, last year.

He was sentenced by the Recorder of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson to two months imprisonment, suspended for twelve months.

He was also ordered to perform 150 hours community service work, pay £200 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Drug-dealing charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, who previously revealed 14.1 gms of 'crack' was seized along with 841 mgms and 6.9 gms of heroin.

The son of the 1992 Olympic 100 metres champion now claims he is successfully beating his drug problem with the help and support of his family.

Police, accompanied by a sniffer dog, searched his empty ground-floor council flat at 2.30pm and also found drug paraphernalia on the living room table and an additional 23.6 gms of an unspecified white powder.

Police Raid: Oliver-Christie's Flat

Officers left a note for Oliver-Christie and he surrendered himself at a local police station, which he attended with his solicitor.

Prosecutor Mr. Neil Griffin told the court: "There was a search warrant executed at the defendant's address. He was not home, but under the floorboards was a box containing drugs.

"The last time he was at this court he had been charged with possession with intent to supply class A, but was acquitted. He had over a thousand pounds cash and pleaded guilty to that."

Oliver-Christie's lawyer Miss Emma Fenn said: "The drugs problem is now under control. He has sought voluntary help and that has been resolved with family help.

"He is suitable for unpaid work if this passes the community threshold. This does not look like a case where a DRR (Drug Rehabilitation Requirement) assessment is appropriate, but probation may take a different view.

"He wants to explain he is already doing drugs work and wishes me to pass that onto your honour," Miss Fenn added.

His father also won gold for Britain in the 100m at the World, European and Commonwealth championships and his national record of 9.87 secs set over twenty years ago stands to this day.

Liam's mother is former typist Yvonne Oliver, who had a short relationship with the athlete, and he has a twin sister Korel, with neither child having much contact with their father during their upbringing.

Monday, 18 May 2015

An illustrator, who sexually
abused two young girls four decades ago – molesting one when he
took her out for ice-cream and groping the other as she lay in bed,
dramatically confessed during his trial last week.Artist Henry Christopher Mendes,
64, of Park an Pyth, Pendeen, Penzance had denied forcing the first
girl, who was approximately eight years-old, to perform a sex act on
him and running his hand up the body of the second girl, also aged
around eight.However, after hearing the two
victims give evidence at Blackfriars Crown Court Mendes unexpectedly
changed his plea to guilty and will be sentenced on June 12.Prosecutor Mr. Shaun Esprit told
the jury the offences occurred in north London's Kentish Town in the
late 1970's and only came to the police's attention when the first
complainant reported Mendes in 2013, encouraged by her friend
revealing she was also molested.“The defendant went out to go to
the off-licence and he asked the first complainant if she fancied
coming with him to get an ice-cream,” he told the court. “He
stopped off at a pub and left her outside while he popped in.“She was left outside on her own
and after what seemed to her an eternity the defendant returned and
as they walked back he took her through an elevated area, which was
higher up and had a swing and concrete blocks.“The defendant made her sit down
on one and she noticed he was mumbling to himself and fiddling with
the zip on his trousers and she did not know what was going on.”The girl then performed a sex act
on Mendes, said Mr. Esprit. “Afterwards he seemed relieved and
satisfied.”The girl remained silent until
1989. “She blurted out what happened to her mother. It was an
emotional outburst.”The complainant later emailed
Mendes. “She brought up what happened and expressed a lot of anger
and was extremely emotional.”The second complainant also told
police she was targeted by the defendant, added Mr. Esprit.“She was asleep in bed and awoke
and was aware of someone next to her, a man, and could hear ponderous
breathing.“She did not open her eyes, but
recognised the voice of the defendant saying: 'You're so beautiful'
and she felt a hand under the duvet, which bit by bit moved up.“It stopped short of between her
legs when a man's voice outside her bedroom door said: 'Chris, let's
go to the off-licence.'“The defendant was known by his
second name, Chris,” the prosecutor told the court.Mendes was arrested and questioned
by police. “He denied the assaults.”Mendes had pleaded not guilty to
one count of indecent assault in relation to each girl between July
8, 1976 and November 27, 1979.

Sunday, 17 May 2015

A drunken wedding guest smashed an innocent woman's nose with an "almighty punch" - leaving her needing £10,000 worth of reconstructive plastic surgery - when aiming a blow at her husband.

Groom's guest Neil Abbott, 41, had been drinking vodka during the reception at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington High Street when confronted about his boisterous behaviour on the dance floor and alleged groping of a young woman.

"That was an almighty punch, and I have seen some over thirty-five years, and from a man that is heavily built and this poor woman has suffered the most dreadful, dreadful injuries," announced Isleworth Crown Court Judge Simon Davis.

"This poor innocent lady was not expecting to be hit. You have played rugby in the past and you are a powerful man, one can see that, you do some physical work and that was meted out to this woman."

British Gas employee Abbott, a £50,000 a year work colleague of the groom, of Grace House, Erickson Gardens, Bromey pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Christina Mina on May 24, last year.

He was sentenced on Friday to eighteen months imprisonment, suspended for two years and must also compensate Mrs Mina £9,798.45p - money she has already spent on advanced dentistry and cosmetic surgery to rebuild her nose, which was flattened by the blow - as well as £950 costs.

"She has had reconstructive surgery and will have follow-up surgery. There will be cartilage taken from her to fix a fault with her nose, which had a detached septum and enlarged nostrils.

"Mrs Mina has delayed having children because of this, but will resume once she has recovered."

Abbott's lawyer Mr. Richard Paton-Philip said: "He was too intoxicated to be interviewed by police on the day, but the next morning showed remorse when shown the CCTV.

"There is nothing to suggest he is anything other than a good, decent man who acted out of character when he drunkenly threw this punch aimed at someone else."

"This defendant has said he is not going to drink in public again," said Judge Davis. "It's the drinking that concerns me. He was absolutely drunk that night and had he not been this would not have happened.

"At the root of this disgraceful event was drink, there's no doubt about that," he told Abbott. "You changed her life with one punch, if she had died and this was one-punch manslaughter you would be going to prison for a number of years.

"I believe you did touch that young woman on the dancefloor, maybe you did not realise it or maybe in a laddish gesture it was just a brush."

A witness said he and Abbott were enjoying "lads dancing" during the reception.

"Mrs Mina was hoping for a family and she is struggling with that now because of what you have done to her cosmetically and emotionally," added the judge.

"There are wounds that are not on the surface.

"However, if I send you to prison today you would lose your job and lose your house. I am prepared to accept this was completely out of character."

The Probation Service ruled Abbott would not benefit from an Alcohol Treatment Requirement, but the defendant promised the court he would voluntarily attend counselling.

"Are you going to be able to put up with questions from your friends when you are out like: 'Go on have another one. Where's your bottle? Where's your face?'" the judge asked Abbott.

The defendant replied: "You would have to be a fool not to learn from this experience. The coming and going to and from court, the pressure. You would have to change."

Saturday, 16 May 2015

A
“sexual Predator” repeat rapist - who targeted an 80 year-old
pensioner - has been given a life sentence, but may be free in just
seven-and-a-half years.

Robert
Lashley, 32, of Blythe Road, West Kensington waited for the woman,
who lives alone, to return from a local newsagents early one morning
and followed her to her flat, where he raped her.

An
Isleworth Crown Court jury found him guilty of the offence after
hearing Lashley was caught on CCTV loitering outside the woman's
Shepherd's Bush block of flats at 7.30am on August 16, last year.

Earlier
this month was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation
he serves at least seven-and-a-half years in prison, minus time served on remand.

He
was quickly identified and arrested the next day and the victim was
able to give evidence against him in court which led to a successful
conviction.

The
court also heard that Lashley had received an eight-year sentence in
2004 for a similar rape on a 59-year-old woman.

Officers
believe Lashley may have targeted other women and are appealing for
other possible victims to come forward.

Detective
Constable Victoria Kilburn said: "Robert Lashley is a sexual
predator who, on 16 August 2014, targeted one of the most vulnerable
members of our community and subjected her to an horrific sexual
assault.

“This
was all the more distressing as the offence occurred in her home,
where she should have felt safe.

"I
also hope that this sentence will encourage more victims of sexual
offending to approach police, in the knowledge you will be believed
no matter what age you are, and that the police will seek
prosecutions for sexual offences.

"I
would like to pay tribute to the victim of this offence. She is a
spirited lady who showed great courage and determination, not only
during the offence, but also in attending court and giving evidence
against Lashley.

“She
has found this experience extremely traumatic and I hope she can
recover from this to enjoy her retirement in peace.

"Police
are taking the step of releasing Lashley's image today. If you think
you have been a victim of Robert Lashley, I would ask you to come
forward and speak to police."

Anyone
with information is asked to call the police non-emergency line on
101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Friday, 15 May 2015

The founder and former lead singer of UK reggae band Aswad smothered his partner with bedclothes and ripped off her t-shirt and knickers hours after she aborted another man's baby.

Brinsley Forde MBE, 61, who hit number one in the charts with 'Don't Turn Around' in 1988 flew into a rage at 3am when given the cold-shoulder by Jemma Payne as the couple lay in bed.

Forde, of The Courtway, Watford was convicted at Croydon Magistrates Court of assaulting Miss Payne, the mother of his young son, at her flat at 2 Orford Court, Elmcourt Road, West Norwood on October 30, last year.

"Brinsley wanted to be close to have a cuddle. He put his arm around me and tried to bring me close, but I told him I did not want to be close to him, I wanted to be left alone," she told the trial.

"He got very angry and upset. He lost his temper and went into a blind rage and grabbed and shook me like a rag doll.

"He put either a pillow or duvet over my face in a blind rage and held it down. I couldn't breathe and I started to panic and kick out with my legs.

"I jumped off the bed, but he ran around and ripped-off my t-shirt with one sweep from under my arm, tearing it off and did the same with my pants from the front, ripped them off.

"I had chafe marks under my arm, a burn sensation that came up as a bruise the next day."

The court heard Forde, who is also a radio presenter and actor, confiscated several pairs of shoes he bought Jemma as he left the flat, but then turned and blocked the front door.

"I picked-up a shoe and threw it at him and as he moved back I shut the front door," she explained.

Jemma Payne

The attacked was reported to police a week later on November 6 and Jemma explained: "I did not report it at the time because of domestic violence in our relationship.

"I realised he was an unsafe person to have around my son and I was worried social services would take him away. That's why I didn't report it.

However, Forde claims there was no assault and Jemma made a false statement because he threatened to tell social services she wanted to buy cannabis from associates nicknamed the 'Frontline' in Brixton.

He was arrested on November 7 at a social services meeting, which was due to discuss, among other topics, their son's Child Protection Plan.

Forde told police: "My ex has made these allegations up because I was going to report her to social services about our son."

When cross-examined Miss Payne did not deny becoming pregnant with another man, adding: "I'm afraid of Brinsley and his behaviour.

"Social services are happy for me to come off child protection as long as I have nothing to do with Brinsley. He's a danger to my son."

Forde told the court the row was about Jemma's affair and abortion. "The chances were that she was back with her ex-boyfriend. I found his underwear in the house.

"I once picked-up the phone when he thought it was Jemma and he asked: "Is the fool still there?'

"I would say she has anger issues that came up now and again and I am facing a charge that discredits me and I have not seen my son."

He told the court he was forced to grab Miss Payne's wrists to defend himself as she tried to punch and kick him.

District Judge Andrew Sweet ruled: "Mr. Forde was clearly upset by the pregnancy and by being rebuffed and grabbed hold of Miss Payne and shook her, ripped her t-shirt and pants off and covered her face with the pillow case or duvet.

"I'm satisfied Miss Payne was telling the truth. This is a very serious allegation," added the district judge, bailing Forde until june 2 for a pre-sentence report.

Thursday, 14 May 2015

A pub landlord, accused of
secretly sexually abusing an under-age teenage girl while other staff
and members of his own family were on the premises, has been cleared
of all charges.Barry Willmott, 73, of Moat
Cottage, London Road, Wrotham, Sevenoaks was the boss of The Manor,
Biggin Hill when he was said to have preyed on the youngster, aged
around 12 or 13 years-old, almost three decades ago.“First he would joke around and
prod me in the side and that led to him putting his hands under my
clothes and that developed into a sort of relationship and him
putting his hands under my clothes and on my skin,” she told police
in a video-recorded interview.“I remember saying to him:
'Someone will come in,' and I was petrified we would get caught.“He always seemed to want to
touch me down below. He once put his finger inside me and when I said
it hurt he did not do it again.”Croydon Crown Court was told
Willmott was caught one day with his hand inside the girl's
onesie-type outfit by both a member of his family and an employee and
the girl was collected by her mother and never returned.She eventually reported the
incidents to police, estimating it occurred over a six-month period
and Willmott was questioned on June 24, 2013.“He denied ever putting his
hands inside her clothing and he denied undoing her onesie,”
prosecutor Miss Claire Robinson told the jury.However, the court heard abuse did
take place and escalated when Willmott groped the youngster in the
alcoves of the pub's large function room.“It progressed and became
more intimate,” explained Miss Robinson. “He'd touch her breasts
and kiss her on the mouth and put his hands inside her underwear.“In her mind what was going-on
was a relationship, she lied him, she liked the attention. At first
she was scared, but that turned to excitement.“However, a girl under the age
of sixteen years-old is not able to consent,“Mr. Willmott would also put her
hand on his penis over his clothing and she would rub it a bit.“In the function room Mr.
Willmott pulled her onto his lap, pulled up her top and sucked her
breasts. She remembers that happened once.”The final incident occurred on the
last occasion she visited the pub.“Mr. Willmott followed her and
pulled her towards the restaurant. He opened her onesie and put his
hand inside.“A member of his family walked
in and then left and a witness, who worked at the pub, says they saw
Mr. Willmott with his hand inside her onesie.”Willmott pleaded not guilty to
three counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a
child between January 1, 1987 and December 31, 1988.